The Senate's passage of the National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday has also secured the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina's federal recognition as a tribal nation. The state recognized tribe, whose historic and genealogical claims have been a subject of controversy for decades, has been seeking federal recognition for generations. Their cause has been debated in Congress for more than 30 years, but after gaining the endorsement of President Donald Trump on the campaign trail last year, the Lumbee’s case gained renewed attention. With federal recognition comes a bevy of federal resources, including access to new streams of federal dollars and grants, access to services like the Indian health service, and the ability to put land into trust.
